The Gold Standard vs. Fiat Money

An extensive essay on the gold standard on The Encyclopedia of Economics and Liberty defines it as: ...a commitment by participating countries to fix the prices of their domestic currencies in terms of a specified amount of gold. National money and other forms of money (bank deposits and notes) were freely converted into gold at the fixed price. A county under the gold standard would set a price for gold, say $100 an ounce and would buy and sell gold at that price. This effectively sets a value for the currency; in our fictional example, $1 would be worth 1/100th of an ounce of gold. Other precious metals could be used to set a monetary standard; silver standards were common in the 1800s. A combination of the gold and silver standard is known as bimetallism. A Brief History of the Gold Standard If you would like to learn about the history of money in detail, there is an excellent site called A Comparative Chronology of Money which details the important places and dates in monetary history. During most of the 1800s, the United States had a bimetallic system of money;  however, it was essentially on a gold standard as very little silver was traded. A true gold standard came to fruition in 1900 with the passage of the Gold Standard Act. The gold standard effectively came to an end in 1933 when President Franklin D. Roosevelt outlawed private gold ownership. The Bretton Woods System, enacted in 1946 created a system of fixed exchange rates that allowed governments to sell their gold to the United States treasury at the price of $35/ounce: The Bretton Woods system ended on August 15, 1971, when President Richard Nixon ended trading of gold at the fixed price of $35/ounce. At that point for the first time in history, formal links between the major world currencies and real commodities were severed. The gold standard has not been used in any major economy since that time. What system of money do we use today? Almost every country, including the United States, is on a system of fiat money, which the glossary defines as money that is intrinsically useless; is used only as a medium of exchange. The value of money is set by the supply and demand for money and the supply and demand for other goods and services in the economy. The prices for those goods and services, including gold and silver, are allowed to fluctuate based on market forces.   The Benefits and Costs of a Gold Standard The main benefit of a gold standard is that it  ensures  a relatively low level of inflation. In articles such as What Is the Demand for Money? weve seen that inflation is caused by a combination of four factors: The supply of money goes up.The supply of goods goes down.Demand for money goes down.Demand for goods goes up. So long as the supply of gold does not change too quickly, then the supply of money will stay relatively stable. The gold standard prevents a country from printing too much money. If the supply of money rises too fast, then people will exchange money (which has become less scarce) for gold (which has not). If this goes on too long, then the treasury will eventually run out of gold. A gold standard restricts the  Federal Reserve  from enacting policies which significantly alter the growth of the money supply which in turn limits the  inflation rate  of a country. The gold standard also changes the face of the foreign exchange market. If Canada is on the gold standard and has set the price of gold at $100 an ounce, and Mexico is also on the gold standard and set the price of gold at 5000 pesos an ounce, then 1 Canadian Dollar must be worth 50 pesos. The extensive use of gold standards implies a system of fixed exchange rates. If all countries are on a gold standard, there is  then  only one real currency, gold, from which all others derive their value. The stability of the gold standard cause in the foreign exchange market is often cited as one of the benefits of the system. The stability caused by the gold standard is also the biggest drawback in having one.  Exchange rates  are not allowed to respond to changing circumstances in countries. A gold standard severely limits the stabilization policies the Federal Reserve can use. Because of these factors, countries with gold standards tend to have severe economic shocks. Economist  Michael D. Bordo  explains: Because economies under the gold standard were so vulnerable to real and monetary shocks, prices were highly unstable in the short run. A measure of short-term price instability is the coefficient of variation, which is the ratio of the standard deviation of annual percentage changes in the price level to the average annual percentage change. The higher the coefficient of variation, the greater the short-term instability. For the United States between 1879 and 1913, the coefficient was 17.0, which is quite high. Between 1946 and 1990 it was only 0.8. Moreover, because the gold standard gives the government little discretion to use monetary policy, economies on the gold standard are less able to avoid or offset either monetary or real shocks. Real output, therefore, is more variable under the gold standard. The coefficient of variation for real output was 3.5 between 1879 and 1913, and only 1.5 between 1946 and 1990. Not coincidentally, since the government could not have discretion over monetary policy, unemployment was higher during the gold standard. It averaged 6.8 percent in the United States between 1879 and 1913 versus 5.6 percent between 1946 and 1990. So it would appear that the major benefit to the gold standard is that it can prevent long-term inflation in a country. However, as  Brad DeLong  points out: ...if you do not trust a central bank to keep inflation low, why should you trust it to remain on the gold standard for generations? It does not look like the gold standard will make a return to the United States anytime in the foreseeable future.

Atheism Nietzsche and Palahniuk Illustration of God

The dispute of God extends past just who He is. It extends into what He values, what He believes, and even to what He loves. However, these seemingly complex questions are redundant. The answers to all these questions revolve around one thing: us. We create who He is. We determine what He values. We determine what He believes. We determine whom He loves. We created God. What we should truly be asking is: Does one need God? The necessity of God is discussed at length in Friedrich Nietzsche’s book, â€Å"On the Genealogy of Morals,† wherein he states that since we create morals our own morals, God is too a social construct, who is different for every person. Because standards for morality vary by person, the enforcement of a single, divinely ordained law or code or set of values over all humans generalizes and subsequently overlooks individual experiences. Subsequently, we do not need Him, because we are using God as a figurehead to pass judgment upon ourselves. Nietzsche claims that we use God as a social crutch in order to give ourselves purpose in this world because we fear having a meaningless life. Nietzsche’s ideas are a constant theme throughout Chuck Palahniuk’s novel, â€Å"Fight Club,† wherein we witness the transition of God from being one’s father to the character Tyler Durden. This anthropomorphized God causes destruction and discontent and illustrates the struggle people have with living a meaningless life. Both Nietzsche and Palahniuk argue and illustrate that since God

Arctic Power Essay Example For Students

Arctic Power Essay The Canadian laundry detergent market is mature, very competitive and dominatedby three major consumer packaged goods companies, one of which isColgate-Palmolive Canada (CPC). Arctic Power is CPCs top-of-the-line offeringin its laundry detergent line. Arctic Power is specially formulated for washingin cold water. The detergent has risen in market share from 4% in 1981 to 6.5%in 1986, and the Senior Product Manager has established a goal of reaching 12%market share by 1996. Problem Definition Linda Barton and Gary Parsons face twoproblems. First, they must determine whether to continue developing the brand intheir already strong regional markets of Quebec, the Maritimes and BritishColombia, or go national with marketing efforts. Second, they must decidewhether to use a single positioning strategy (as was successfully implemented inQuebec) or continue to use a dual positioning strategy. The dual strategyconsisted of highlighting Arctic Power as a superior detergent in areas withstrong sales, and focusing on encouraging Canadians to use cold water washing inareas with relatively weak sales. Analysis When it comes to laundry detergents,Canadians primarily think of one name, Tide. Procter and Gambles Tide detergenthas captured over one-third of the market and is twenty percentage points aheadof its closest competitor in market share. While Tide and Arctic Power areequivalent brands in terms of cleaning power, Tide outsold Arctic Power by a 5to 1 ratio in 1986. The market share for Tide has remained level (atapproximately 34%) during the same time that Arctic Power has enjoyed a marketshare increase from 4% to 6.5%. Due to Tides dominance in the detergent market,it will play an important role in any major change in Arctic Powers strategy. Costs and profit structures for leading detergent brands were similar. Abreak-even analysis for the market (see Appendix A) indicates that a detergentmust capture approximately 8% 8.5% of the market in order to break evennationally. Detergents with small portions of market share have experienceddiminishing sales (see Appendix B). Of the twelve offerings (or group ofofferings) that held 10% or less of the market share, only two experienced salesgrowth from 1983 to 1986 Wisk and Arctic Power. To keep its market share, Wiskspent disproportionately high amounts of money on advertising (see Appendix B). In such a competitive market with a high break-even threshold and increasingprices for materials, it is reasonable to believe that the offerings with lowermarket shares will continue to decline. This decline will provide opportunityfor Arctic Power (although CPCs economy detergent offering, called ABC, hasconsumed much of the market share that was lost by the smaller competitors). Arctic Power holds a strong share of the market in three regions: Quebec(17.5%), Maritimes (6.3%) and British Columbia (5.5%). These three regionscomprise 44% of the total volume of detergent sales for the country. Otherregional market sizes are displayed in Appendix C. For Arctic Power to capture12% of market share, it must look beyond these three regions (see Appendix C). Thirty-nine percent of the Canadian market is held in Ontario. Arctic Powerspenetration into this large region is a meager 0.8%. For Arctic Power to reachits goal of 12% market share, Ontario must be considered a major part of thestrategy. Ontario has the highest return on media expenditure of any region (seeAppendix D). Ontario is also changing the way that it washes clothes. Theproportion of households in Ontario that use cold water washing has increasedfrom 14% in 1981 to 17% in 1986. Hence, a marketing strategy that will providefurther penetration into Ontario is quite desirable. Arctic Powers positioningstrategy has been twofold. First, Arctic Power has been positioned in easternCanada as a superior laundry detergent, especially formulated for cold waterwashing. In the western market, Arctic Power has attempted to develop the coldwater market. In either case, Arctic Powers position is connected to coldwater. The good news is that regular cold water washing has increased national lyfrom 20% in 1981 to 29% in 1986. Another 25% of consumers could be described asoccasional users of cold water for washing. Hence, 54% of Canadians wash in coldwater. When people were asked about the benefits of washing in cold water, theresults were astounding. The eight most common answers could be easily dividedinto two categories those that were money saving in nature (saves energy,cheaper, saves hot water, saves electricity) and those that related to thequality of

Los Angeles Police Department Essay Research Paper free essay sample

Los Angeles Police Department Essay, Research Paper Polices: Dislocations that allowed corruptness are still uncorrected, analyze discoveries. The main concedes that averageness became a manner of life at all degrees of the section. The Los Angeles Police Department failed clip and once more to take stairss that might hold headed off the worst corruptness dirt in its history, harmonizing to a sweeping self-indictment prepared by the section # 8217 ; s ain leaders. In a missive attach toing the long-awaited Board of Inquiry study into the corruptness centered in the section # 8217 ; s Rampart Division, Police Chief Bernard C. Parks called the dirt a # 8220 ; life-altering experience for the Los Angeles Police Department # 8221 ; in which corrupt officers took advantage of slack supervising to transport out condemnable Acts of the Apostless. # 8220 ; We as an organisation provided the chance, # 8221 ; Parks wrote. The 362-page study was given to Mayor Richard Riordan and members of the Police Commission on Tuesday eventide and will be released to the populace and the remainder of the metropolis # 8217 ; s elected leaders today. We will write a custom essay sample on Los Angeles Police Department Essay Research Paper or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page It was provided to The Times on Tuesday by top functionaries of the LAPD. Harmonizing to the study, many of the dislocations that allowed the Rampart constabularies dirt to suppurating sore and spread # 8211 ; including failures to look into the backgrounds of constabulary recruits, to supervise officer misconduct and to oversee officers in the field # 8211 ; stay uncorrected despite mounting public and political unfavorable judgment of the LAPD and the metropolis leading. Those revelations efficaciously put the metropolis # 8217 ; s full political leading on the topographic point. Most straight, they demonstrate that the LAPD ignored some calls for reform and created an atmosphere ripe for corruptness. At the same clip, they besides suggest that Riordan and City Council members backed policies that eroded the Police Department # 8217 ; s ability to command contrary officers. The consequences, by the LAPD # 8217 ; s ain admittance, have been dearly-won # 8211 ; and tragic. # 8220 ; This dirt has devastated our relationship with the populace we serve and threatened the unity of our full condemnable justness system, # 8221 ; the Board of Inquiry study concludes. # 8220 ; Distrust, cynicism, fright of the constabulary, and an eroding of community jurisprudence and order are the inevitable consequence of a jurisprudence enforcement bureau whose moralss and unity have become suspect. # 8221 ; While the study admits dislocations at every degree of the section # 8211 ; and in the procedure chalk outing a broader, more damnatory image even than the 1991 Christopher Commission did in the aftermath of the Rodney G. King crushing # 8211 ; its 108 recommendations basically focus on internal redresss. A figure high spot ways to beef up the constabulary head # 8217 ; s power to look into, subject and even coerce the retirement of officers. They pointedly do non back creative activity of outside systems for subjecting the LAPD to extra examination. Unlike the Christopher Commission, which subtly but unmistakably called on Chief Daryl F. Gates to retire, the Board of Inquiry is by and large, and non surprisingly, complimentary of moves by Parks, who supervises the members of the board and has repeatedly pledged to root out corruptness in the section. Parks # 8217 ; ain function in the events at issue is slightly bleary: Although he was named head after the incidents at the centre of the Rampart investigation occurred, he served as the LAPD # 8217 ; s second-ranking functionary from 1992 to 1994. He was demoted that twelvemonth and set in charge of particular probes, including internal personal businesss, but from that point on, he was kept at arm # 8217 ; s length from many section determinations by so Chief Willie L. Williams. The LAPD # 8217 ; s scathing self-appraisal could bolster both sides of the statement over whether outside reappraisal of the section is needed. On one manus, the study says the jobs it paperss are widespread and serious, on the other manus, the metropolis # 8217 ; s constabulary leading is showing unprecedented fairness in publically acknowledging those defects. In fact, the LAPD # 8217 ; s analysis of itself cites country after country in which constabulary officers and their supervisors failed the section and the populace. A few illustrations from the study: * # 8220 ; A dislocation in front-line supervising was surely evident in Rampart. # 8221 ; * # 8220 ; Time and once more, the board found clear forms of misconduct that went undetected. . .. Regardless of the beginning, plaintiffs all seemed to be viewed as recalcitrant, and their allegations were non taken seriously. # 8221 ; * # 8220 ; Peoples are doing forces and promotional determinations unaware of affairs that surely would impact their decisions. # 8221 ; * # 8220 ; Our forces ratings have small or no credibleness at any degree in the organization. # 8221 ; * # 8220 ; The bid squad at Rampart during most of this five-year period lacked cohesive direction. # 8221 ; * # 8220 ; As painful as it may be, we must acknowledge that this job [ failure to execute equal background probes on new hires ] has non been solved, but it must be if we are to supply the people of this metropolis with the quality of jurisprudence enforcement it deserves. # 8221 ; Some of those issues, every bit good as others identified in the study, are barely new. Police critics have been kicking for more than a decennary that the LAPD ignores civilian ailments about officer misconduct. Under Parks, the section late revamped its processs for measuring citizen ailments, but the study makes it clear that the section # 8217 ; s unwillingness to take officer misconduct earnestly continued good into the 1990s, long after the Christopher Commission, the American Civil Liberties Union and others had pointed to the Pr oblem. In 1998, the LAPD # 8217 ; s leading announced that it had fulfilled about all the recommendations of the Christopher Commission. The new study provides dramatic grounds to the contrary, doing it clear that a figure of cardinal recommendations remain unsolved. Among those is the long-standing inquiry of whether the LAPD does adequate to place and track alleged job officers. For old ages after the Christopher study, the section resisted efforts to fit it with a computerized system for entering ailments against constabulary officers and other public presentation steps. Finally, under force per unit area from the civilian Police Commission and the U.S. Department of Justice, the LAPD adopted a system known as TEAMS # 8211 ; an acronym for Training, Evaluation and Management System. In the new study, nevertheless, section leaders concede that the system has fallen far short of outlooks. One key job, harmonizing to the study, is that indispensable informations are being left out of the TEAMS profiles of officers. # 8220 ; Several major forces probes were found that did non look on the officers # 8217 ; TEAMS history even though the affair had been adjudicated for some clip, # 8221 ; the study provinces. The consequence is that a supervisor, in make up ones minding whether a peculiar officer was suited for a sensitive assignment, would non needfully hold the benefit of cognizing that officer # 8217 ; s full work and complaint history. That revelation is certain to make political radioactive dust. It raises inquiries, for case, of why the Riordan disposal has allowed such a key Christopher Commission reform to pine away, despite its public pledges to implement those alterations and after old ages of publically clamouring for the execution of the trailing system . It besides could rag federal functionaries, who have monitored the officer tracking system and insisted that the LAPD adopt strong controls. Another subdivision of the LAPD study that revives long-standing concerns is its analysis of the function that constabulary buildups have played in leting corrupt recruits to happen topographic points in the section. Specifically, the study references, without calling, four officers who were hired despite condemnable records that should hold precluded them from being employed. Three of those recruits were hired before the 1991 Christopher study, which documented some of the dislocations in background cheques. But the 4th, harmonizing to the study, was hired in 1994 despite the fact that he sold drugs as a juvenile and was involved in a # 8220 ; vehicle fiddling incident # 8221 ; as an grownup. That officer was hired after the reforms allegedly had been implemented and after Riordan had become city manager, elected mostly on his pledge to add 3,000 constabularies officers to the ranks in four old ages. As such, the hiring of that officer makes it clear that the reforms intended to work out the showing issues identified in 1991 were non foolproof in 1994. And the study indicates that the jobs continue to this twenty-four hours, partially because of struggles between the constabulary and forces sections over officer hiring. # 8220 ; This job, # 8221 ; it states categorically, # 8220 ; has non been solved. # 8221 ; Other recommendations and observations contained in the study will antagonise different involvements. Police brotherhood leaders, for case, are likely to oppose recommendations for expanded usage of polygraphs, broadened powers to look into officers # 8217 ; fiscal records, and expanded authorization to coerce the retirements of certain officers. The Board of Inquiry besides recommended widening the annual legislative act of restrictions on enforcing serious subject on officers found guilty of misconduct. Military officers and their brotherhood have long fought to protect that bound and will doubtless go on to make so in the face of the survey. In each instance, the board recommendations suggest that Parks, who is passionately disliked by the brotherhood, needs more authorization over the officers beneath him. That excessively is destined to annoy the brotherhood leading. Another recommendation, naming for compulsory rotary motions in certain sensitive units, will besides be controversial within the LAPD, where assignment to some operations is coveted and relinquished merely reluctantly. Meanwhile, some province and local functionaries may oppugn the alterations in province and local jurisprudence needed to give Parks and his top staff those powers # 8211 ; proposals that in some instances besides will be money but that the study argues will pay for themselves in reduced metropolis liability and disciplinary disbursals. Despite the tonss of recommendations and unfavorable judgments, the LAPD study for the most portion endorses the section # 8217 ; s current policies and processs. The fact that corruptness took such deep root in Rampart # 8211 ; and possibly elsewhere # 8211 ; is an indictment of the officers who failed to transport out those processs, non of the processs themselves, harmonizing to the Board of Inquiry. Although that gives the study a sometimes uneven tone, supporting a system that it admits failed severely, it besides provides for some of the papers # 8217 ; s most apparent self-analysis. One transition in peculiar warns of the effects when constabulary let down their guard. # 8220 ; Essentially, many of the jobs found by this [ Board of Inquiry ] boil down to people neglecting to make their occupations with a high degree of consistence and unity, # 8221 ; the study provinces. # 8220 ; Unfortunately, we found this to be true at all degrees of the organisation, including top directors, first-line supervisors and line forces. Clearly, pride in one # 8217 ; s work and a committedness to make things right the first clip seems to hold # 8220 ; Clearly, # 8221 ; he said, # 8220 ; we have to halt accepting second-rate work. # 8221 ;

The Movie Roots essays

The Movie Roots essays In the history of the United States nothing has brought more shame to the face of America than the cold, premeditated years of keeping black people in captivity, which is known as slavery. Accordingly, slavery can be defined as an inhumane action done to an individual or group of people that causes either physical or mental harm. Slavery, at its very core was a cruel and heartless institution; from the idea behind it to the way it was enforced. It degraded the lives of human beings (particularly blacks) and forbade the basic freedom that every man and woman deserves, according to the Constitution. One example of how cruel and inhumane slavery actually was is the historical film Roots. In the movie Roots, the life of an enslaved African male named Kunta Kinta is followed, beginning with his abduction from his eighteenth century home in Africa. During this time, the Middle Passage was almost unbelievable, being that hundreds upon hundreds of Africans were abducted from their homes to go on boats to America. Consequently, Europeans traveled to Africa and captured Africans such as Kunta Kinta using guns in which many Africans had never seen before. This would later help develop their land and satisfy their need for power in the New World. The conditions on the boats were dreadful. The Africans soon to be slaves were packed like sardines and chained tightly together. Also, the temperature in the disease-infested rooms was unbearable and there was literally no fresh air for slaves to breathe. This particular part of the movie, I thought was one of the most significant parts, because it allowed the viewer to actually see the conditions on these boats. They seemed much like a slaughterhouse and I cant imagine how anyone could have survived in such a detrimental environment. In fact, Olaudah Equiano a former slave and loyal British subject said that, sleep was the only refuge. Consequently, the...

Parental involvement through Sexuality Education in Singapore. Essay Example

Parental involvement through Sexuality Education in Singapore. Essay Example Parental involvement through Sexuality Education in Singapore. Essay Parental involvement through Sexuality Education in Singapore. Essay Education under the undertaking Alternate . By analyzing and analyzing our instance survey on Netherlands, we seek to implement options to increase parental engagement through the instruction of Sexuality Education in Singapore. Rationale for pick We have chosen gender instruction as our country of concern as the current methods in gender instruction is non effectual in visible radiation of the modern young person civilization. School-based gender instruction in Singapore is incorporated into scientific discipline, wellness instruction and civics and moral instruction topics. The Ministry of Education[ 1 ]( MOE ) has besides introduced the Growing Old ages[ 2 ]( GY ) series every bit good as Breaking Down Barriers[ 3 ]( BDB ) programme which is compulsory for all authorities schools to follow. Parents are besides given the option to opt-out their kids from go toing these programmes. In position of a more broad and open-minded society, young persons are progressively receptive to new thoughts, and are easy and most influenced by the mass media. This is supported from our primary research, where pupils are asked on the grade of influence of the parents, teachers/counselors, equals and the media have on them in footings of supplying them with cognition and advice sing sex instruction. The advancement of mass media has overtaken the current steps initiated by MOE in encompassing healthy development of gender amongst the younger coevals in Singapore. This is farther substantiated by the increasing tendency[ 4 ]of teenage gestations and sexually familial infections ( STIs ) , where they are prosecuting in sexual activities at a far younger age. Therefore, the function of parents in gender instruction is important in educating their kids about sex in an environment of openness, thereby heightening kids s understanding on topic. The current attack of leting parents to hold the option of choosing out their kids from gender negotiations provided by the school contradicts with base of MOE recognizing that parents are the most of import pedagogue in gender instruction[ 5 ]. Mentioning to our primary informations gathered, 66 % of the pupils surveyed feel that parents are non making adequate and are non actively involved in their gender instruction. Therefore, by supplying parents with the opt-out option, it does non to the full prosecute or include them in educating their kids and hence it is an unequal attack taken by the MOE. As compared to parents who are still encompassing the more conservative Asiatic values, young persons have immensely conflicting values and this consequences in differences between their mentalities wholly. Regardless of their backgrounds, parents have to step in and be responsible in educating their kids on gender issues. However, there is trouble in this as most parents are uncomfortable[ 6 ]with discoursing these issues with their kids. This is a consequence of the new mentality of our coevals on the subject of gender. To counter the job, the MOE should join forces more closely with parents in order to relieve the conflicting values of parents and young persons with a more holistic course of study that is, besides, more applicable to our coevals of young persons. Hence, the options must supply a strong and broad scope of accomplishments to adolescents in the dealing of gender issues. This subject is highly of import, as it addresses the younger population, who will organize the majority of our hereafter stakeholders in Singapore. Purposes and Aims We aim to authorise parents with better accomplishments and cognition in educating their kids on gender issues. Our aims are to: To open up parents towards discoursing the sensitive subject of gender to their kids. To advance effectual parent-child communicating. To enable pupils think through the possible effects of their determinations instead than turn them off with a moralistic attack. Scope of undertaking Target Audience Parents: Our primary mark audience is parents of pupils from Raffles Girls School ( Secondary ) and Raffles Institution ( Secondary ) . Students: Our secondary mark audience is pupils from secondary schools. Research Focus With the chief focal point on increasing parental engagement in gender instruction, we plan to transport out our undertaking over a span of 5 months through a multi-tiered attack ; encapsulating both the affected group ( Youth ) every bit good as the wider community they are a portion of ( Families/parents and School ) , covering our primary purpose ( healthy development of gender for young persons ) . Research Methodology Primary Data We interviewed Mr Leo Hee Khian[ 7 ], a pupil Advisor from Raffles Instituition. Online studies were given out to secondary school pupils from authorities and independent[ 8 ]schools. This is to guarantee a better representative of the pupil population in Singapore as schools transporting Integrated Programmes may offer a different attack in transporting out their gender instruction plan to their pupils. Surveies were besides distributed to parents through the Raffles Parents Association ( RPA )[ 9 ]and Parents for Raffles Girls School AssociationA ( PRGS Association )[ 10 ]to garner information on their beliefs and mentalities sing the current teaching method and course of study of Singapore s gender instruction so as to assist us craft a better method of direction. Secondary Datas As gender instruction is a sensitive yet of import issue, there have been many active treatments on online forums every bit good as newspaper articles associating to the content of its course of study. There are a assortment of published studies and diaries on all facets of gender instruction which are available for reappraisal. We reviewed several instance surveies of different states utilizing the internet resources on how they deliver their course of study, providing to kids and young persons of different age groups. The function of parents in educating their immature is besides studied to garner information on how they can lend most efficaciously in developing their kids. Chapter 2 Case STUDY: Netherlands AND USA Nederlands Overview The Dutch Model was formulated, concentrating on empowerment and common regard in a relationship among young persons. aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦ + parent engagement Advantages The Dutch Model provides accurate information sing hazards associated with pre-marital sex and equal information sing contraceptive method and birth control methods. It focuses on values, attitudes, communications and dialogue accomplishments. It helps young persons to cover with equal and other societal force per unit areas ; supplying chances to pattern communicating, dialogue and averment accomplishments. Disadvantages Sexuality instruction course of study might non be comprehendible to immature kids and therefore the effectivity of course of study may be questioned. As gender is a sensitive subject, it may do parents to choose their kids out of the programme. The Dutch Model does non extinguish the hazard of gestations or STDS as it excludes the instruction of prophylactic methods to young persons. United States of America ( USA ) Overview Sexual activity instruction in USA chiefly focuses on recommending abstention, but more schools are now offering abstinence-plus course of study[ 11 ]. There are many sellers and organisations which have assorted programmes[ 12 ]catered to different age group and a scope of socio-economic background, such as white middle-class, African-americans, hapless, parents of 11-15 old ages old. Advantages Through abstention and abstinence-plus course of study, the values of abstention can play an of import function in assisting adolescents in defying the media and peer force per unit area, as the young persons are populating in a sex-saturated civilization where holding insouciant sex is the norm. The abstinence-only course of study[ 13 ]focal points on two tined attack: It places more accent on societal, emotional and psychological facets of sex ; it besides educates adolescents sing love, familiarity and committedness. On the other manus, the abstinence-plus course of study seeks to cut down teenage gestations and STDs as a consequence from unprotected sexual activity ; hence it teaches adolescents sing contraceptive method methods. Coupled with direct support[ 14 ]and support for the abstention programme by the authorities, it allows more resources to be pulled in for a more effectual gender instruction. Based on studies[ 15 ]conducted, consequences has shown that there is overpowering parental support for abstention course of study. Furthermore, since many parents in America are Christians, coupled with the fact that the bulk of the faith in America preaches abstention ( no sex until matrimony ) , every bit good as many abstention related subjects ( love, committedness, etc ) , this will intend that most parents are to the full cognizant of what their kids are being taught in schools. Thus they can complement the current gender course of study, doing it more effectual. Disadvantages With the approachs of our X-generation young persons, the thought of abstention may non be relevant with the modern American society and civilization. Adolescents are holding a more broad mentality, chiefly as a consequence of the mass media. Surveies[ 16 ]conducted showed that holding pre-marital sex is the norm for many adolescents as a consequence of many factors, such as equal force per unit area and the modern dad civilization. While schools are mostly involved in battle against teenage gestations, there is no standard course of study taught to pupils throughout every school[ 17 ]. Not all parents are agreeable on the content of course of study due to differing positions as a consequence of spiritual or race differences as some faiths[ 18 ]may non favor the abstention or abstention plus-approach. Similarities drawn USA was chosen as the 2nd instance as it is a really developed state with its people holding a really broad mentality, and this is something we aspire for Singapore to accomplish, where parents and kid will happen it less awkward and more comfy in discuss gender. Furthermore, both America and Singapore s gender instruction both accents on abstention, hence, by larning the attack and the ( positive and negative ) deductions of America s gender instruction, we can so use it to Singapore s context. Like Singapore, USA is a multi-racial state and hence this will no uncertainty impact the attack to learning gender instruction as a consequence of differing positions. Chapter 3 Singapore Current Tendencies on gender instruction MOE set a model on the gender instruction course of study which all schools have to follow. The cardinal guiding rules of gender instruction are: Parents bear the chief duty for the gender instruction of their kids ; Sexuality instruction is premised on the importance of the heterosexual married household as the basic unit of society ; The instruction of facts is integrated with the instruction of values, which reflect that of the mainstream society ; Students will be taught to understand and esteem the attitudes, values and beliefs sing gender that other communities propagate ; Specially selected and trained instructors are to learn the Turning Years bundle ; and relevant resources in the community will be brought in to complement school resources for gender instruction. This model encourages parents to be actively involved in educating their kids as they bear the chief duty . While all authorities secondary schools are to follow the Turning Old ages[ 19 ]series and independent schools may hold their ain programmes, parents are able to hold the option of choosing out their kids from the gender instruction bundle. Alternatively, schools may prosecute external sellers[ 20 ]approved by MOE. The current approved external administrations conduct programmes in the signifier of workshop and seminars as a teaching method of learning gender instruction, which merely a few includes the engagement of parents. The demand for affecting parents As parents are given the opt-in and opt-out option, this suggests that the gender instruction in Singapore is non a fool-proof program. Essential issues affecting the cognitive, emotional, societal, physical and moral facets of gender may be neglected by parents who chose to choose out their kids from the programme. Embraced by conservative Asiatic values, these parents have non yet been fused with the broad and unfastened mentality that our universe today portions. Furthermore, a big per centum, 70 % , of the young persons we surveyed felt that their parents were non being actively involved plenty in their gender instruction. Besides, merely one-fourth of the young persons objected to their parents being involved in their gender instruction. Through research, we found that parents have a large influence in the determinations teens make about sex below the age of 16[ 21 ]. However, from the consequences[ 22 ]we gathered from our study, it seems that many parents are non cognizant of the importance on the influence they have on their kids s determination devising. Hence, it is evident that we have to bridge this spread in thought and acquire the parents more actively involved in their kids gender instruction programme. Lessons Learnt Assurance is cardinal Constructing good resonance between parents and kid is of import in interrupting down coevals spread as in enhances effectual communicating. This will greatly cut down the extent of differing/conflicting positions and beliefs, enabling parents to supply accurate information sing gender issues to their kids. Parents are found to possess accomplishments of being an pedagogue, and their natural function in sex instruction is apparent. Yet many parents are non recognizing their full potency as an pedagogue due to grounds such as being uncomfortable in speaking with their kids about the topic and besides deficiency of cognition about anatomy, physiology, or other related information. Hence, they frequently feel diffident and embarrassed to keep treatments due to the deficiency of assurance in educating kids on gender. Therefore, bureaus should see incorporating parents to the full into their wellness instruction schemes. Making consciousness of course of study amongst parents While the school provides basic sex instruction, parents must be cognizant that the cognition and information presented or taught in schools are merely auxiliary, and parents themselves play a polar function in educating their kids at place, since morality issues sing sex are largely non covered in schools[ 23 ]. Therefore moral issues and duty must be taught by the parents of the kid when it comes to sex. The influence of mass media Any parent can certify to the waxy, unquestioning and imitative nature of their kid, and since the mass media is one of the most outstanding beginnings of the kid s mentality of the outside universe, the changeless repeat of sexual contents on the telecasting will no uncertainty act upon the kid s mentality to a certain extent. Developed Schemes Equiping parents Schools can prosecute professionals, experts and even successful parents to present presentations or keep little workshops. Awareness is therefore developed among parents on the importance of keeping conversations with their kids sing gender instruction. Parent -Teacher coaction To prosecute pupils through coaction between parents and instructors in planing an effectual usage of teaching method within the programme. Prosecuting young persons and parents on the net Making a forum to keep treatments enable young persons to freely show their positions or sentiments sing gender. Acknowledging that most thoughts conveyed by equals and the media may be misdirecting, we decided to lasso in trainers/ counselors qualified in the field of gender instruction to rectify any misconception young persons may hold, and to supply proper advice to them. Besides, by prosecuting parents to supervise these forums, they are able to lend to the treatment by posting their positions at the same clip. This will profit parents greatly, leting them to hold a general deeper apprehension in young persons Proposed Options Parent Education Programs Schools may tie-in school events with parent instruction plans to better grownups accomplishments for educating and pass oning with young person, particularly about gender and generative wellness. . Reviewing the bringing of gender instruction programme The Raffles Parents Association can keep a meeting with instructors every 6 months to reexamine the teaching method of presenting the programme. During their reappraisals, they should include the positions of parents about the content of the gender instruction programme that ought to be taught in school. The ground being that parents have a better thought of what their striplings mentality are about the subject of sex every bit good as the exposure that their teens have on the subject. This can be done by holding feedbacks from parents online through the Raffles portal web site, for easiness of communicating. With these feedbacks and reappraisals, our school can hold a more efficient, relevant and effectual manner of presenting gender instruction messages to pupils every bit good as holding a more impactful one. Involving experts into young person online forums As opposed to parents restricting the inflow of information from the mass media which is highly impractical, on-line portals ( e.g. youth.sg ) can be developed for striplings to portion their ideas on the subject of gender. A gender instruction forum will be designed in the on-line portal such that unfastened and healthy treatments can be fostered, on occasion with the advice of experts. Young persons are able to present inquiries and they are responded by qualified[ 24 ]trainers and counselors in this field. Chapter 4: Action Plan Parent Education Programme ( PEP ) Key Players / Stakeholders Schools Secondary schools serve as a platform in enabling parents to take part in the plans easy as their kids maintain them updated with approaching of import school events. Our mark group will be Raffles Girls School ( Secondary ) and Raffles Institution ( Secondary ) in peculiar. Non-Governmental Organisations ( NGOs )[ 25 ] NGOs have the power to consequence widespread alteration A ; topographic point force per unit area on other cardinal participants to pull off the tendencies. Examples of relevant expertness are the Institute of Advanced Parentology[ 26 ]( IAP ) , Focus on the Family[ 27 ]. Experts, professionals and facilitators in the relevant Fieldss will be invited. Successful parents Parents who have successfully overcome their fright and/or embarrassment in pass oning with their kid sing gender issues will be invited to talk. Rationale for our proposed action plan/ class of action Tiing up with two of import school maps such as Briefings to Secondary 1-4 Parents ( held at the start of the every twelvemonth the school principal ) and Parent-Teacher Meetings ( held in the 2nd semester every twelvemonth ) will be utile in capturing a broad audience. This programme is to supply accomplishments to parents to pass on with striplings through these two synergistic workshops. Parents will therefore be more equipped in educating their kids about healthy sexual development and determination devising. Action Plan The organizing commission of the several school maps will include a short Parent Education Programme workshop where presentations are held by wellness professionals and rearing experts from assorted NGOs of relevant field. More male facilitators will besides be invited instead than most of the clip merely female facilitators are present. This is to promote more engagement of male parents because same-sex parent-child communicating at place tends to work better[ 28 ]. Successful parents will be engaged to portion their experience on how they dealt with challenges while educating their kids on gender issues. They will be able to supply information parents want and need every bit good as reference the concerns and frights of the audience. These real-life illustrations will enable parents to get cognition and information on how unfastened communicating can be cultivated in order to portion their values and beliefs with their kids efficaciously, while going more sceptered to go effectual gender pedagogues of their kids. A mass get offing parents via the school depicting the plan will inform parents about the inside informations of the available workshops. These workshops, binding in with school maps, will be scheduled on weekends ( Saturday and Sunday ) so as to avoid upseting their work agendas during weekdays. Feasibility Parent negotiations are extremely executable as it has been done in most schools. However, it is hard to aim all parents to remain on for negotiations given their busy daily agendas and other committednesss. They may hold work duties, peculiarly amongst the low income groups or households with exclusive breadwinners, where gender instruction may non be perceived as of import in such households. Solutions To do the programme an impactful one, advanced and synergistic presentation techniques[ 29 ]can be used in carry oning this workshop to capture the involvement of audience efficaciously. Besides, inducements can be offered to promote greater engagement in workshops, including light refreshments and awards such as verifiers and rearing books. Reviewing the bringing of gender instruction programme Key Players / Stakeholders Raffles Parents Association ( RPA ) and Parents of Raffles Girls School Association ( PRGS Association ) Parent support groups for the Raffles household. They represent the proportion of parents in Raffles, supervising general affairs in and out of the course of study. Teachers They are the chief beginning of medium in school which pupils get their gender instruction from. They deliver the course of study and impart accomplishments and cognition to pupils. Rationale for our proposed action plan/ class of action Through the reappraisal of the course of study, parents will hold a better thought of their striplings mentality on the subject of gender every bit good as the exposure that they have on the subject. Hence, parents can supply valuable feedbacks and positions as to what should be included or emphasised on during the instruction of gender instruction to pupils. Action Plan Feedbacks are to be collected from parents through the RPA and PRGS Association online portals for the easiness of communicating. Besides, we can use our Raffles chief web site to associate parents to the portals for more convenience. The RPA and PRGS Association will keep a meeting with instructors at least one time every 6 months to reexamine the content and the teaching method of the gender instruction course of study designed by the Raffles schools. Valuable and insightful feedbacks from parents should be brought Forth in these meetings, to be discussed and considered amongst the instructors and members of RPA and PRGS Association. Feasibility For this proposed option to be successful, we need the cooperation of parents to be actively involved and concerned about the contents taught to their kids on the subject of gender. They have to cognize that they play a large function in their gender instruction. Additionally, male childs and misss differing biological make-up and hence, some content taught may non be relevant to each gender if sexuality instruction is taught to youth in general. Some of import sections[ 30 ]are therefore left out which might be built-in to the physical and psychological development of young persons. Solutions A different course of study can be catered to different gender to accommodate each gender s demands consequently. All schools, depending if they are coeducational schools, may follow two course of studies providing for each gender, so that gender instruction can be taught individually for the misss and male childs. Involving experts into online forums Key Players / Stakeholders SgForums.com A reputable online portal which discusses a assortment of subjects related to the current universe today. Outstanding subjects are put into forums, where netizens are accessible to the latest intelligence and treatments. There is besides a forum named SgSexForums dedicated to discussion about gender, and we are looking at incorporating gender instruction into this forum. . Professionals and experts They will be invited to be on the panel of forum, so as to react to any questions or positions posed by young persons. They are trained experts from local gender instruction sellers which are approved by MOE, every bit good as advisers and professionals majoring in the development of young person. Young persons Youths serves as an of import voice for parents to hold a deeper apprehension on their positions and concerns. This can assist to contract the communicating spread between the two coevalss as parents are more cognizant of their demands and wants sing gender instruction. A ­Schools Given primary positions expressed by pupils in the forum, schools will work around the demands and wants of the pupils, giving feedbacks to the MOE. Understanding what young persons are concerned with, a more convincing course of study can so be developed to turn to their demands. Rationale for our proposed action plan/ class of action Forums by and large receive much attending from the Singaporean young person communities, and web portals such as STOMP and sgforums.com are known to stand for the voice of the young person society. Although earlier research findings showed that media platforms render young persons susceptible to negative messages about gender, however we still believe that they are powerful tools through which we can set our thoughts across. We are looking at accommodating mass media and healthy treatment of gender issues, and this can be achieved through online forums discoursing about the local gender instruction. Through proper designing of the forums and prosecuting trained experts on the relevant subjects, we believe these online forums will assist to guarantee a more unfastened gender instruction excluding the restraints of school course of study, whereby young persons can do themselves heard. This helps us to accomplish our aim of a more open-minded society towards gender issues, which is ins trumental in assisting parents take charge of their kids s sexual good being. Action Plan Two separate forums will be set up in the on-line portal catered to both young persons and parents. All stations are accessible to the populace, and this allows each stakeholder to be cognizant of the different point of views that youths or parents have. Certified experts from sex instruction sellers will be invited to originate unchained treatment about gender, and besides answer assorted questions that youths or parents might hold. In add-on, we will prosecute parent support groups to supervise these forums and input their ain experiences, furthering healthy argument. As such, any deceptive positions will be corrected by qualified professionals, forestalling young persons from obtaining wrong information from undependable beginnings on the cyberspace. Feasibility Popular local web forums like STOMP ( Youthphoria ) and youth.sg promote unconstrained treatments about societal issues, and promote young persons to portion about their perceptual experiences of the universe around them. Many forums are besides initiated by young persons to discourse the quality of their gender instruction. One restriction, nevertheless, would be that the forums might be prone to defamatory and provocative remarks by insensitive users. Solutions Inappropriate remarks may be marked as Spam by other users, automatically concealing the remark. Besides, parent support groups can be tasked to take charge of these forums as decision makers, chiefly to fuel healthy argument about gender issues based on their ain experiences. Benefits of our program Primary Data We managed to acquire consequences from a relevant yet broad spectrum of the population. This is apparent from the ages of the respondents, which range from 13-18 every bit good as their educational degree which include pupils from the secondary degree and junior colleges. There is besides an about equal mix of responses from both males and females every bit good. With this, we can do certain that we can do certain that the spread across the population is non biased in any manner due to unsimilarities between the above groups ( e.g. hormonal differences, difference in academic demands ) and therefore can convey representative consequences of all young persons in general as required by our undertaking subject. Chapter 5: Decision Strengths Through this undertaking, we have gained a many-sided apprehension of the gender instruction state of affairs in Singapore, through surveying and questioning our cardinal stakeholders. Value-added by extended research online, we are now cognizant of the assorted cognition spreads in the course of study and our developed schemes can efficaciously decide them. For illustration, one contradiction we identified would be that MOE allows parents to choose out of the course of study, even though they stress the importance of parental engagement in school-based gender instruction. Translating our programs into world, through prosecuting trained experts to reply assorted questions posed by young persons and parents, we are guaranting that young persons do non have the incorrect information or acquire misled by undependable beginnings from the cyberspace. Furthermore, our Parent Education Programme ( PEP ) serves to increase parental consciousness about their kids s wellbeing at school, even if parents opt their kids out of the gender instruction course of study. Ultimately, we aim at heightening parent-child communicating and deciding the contradictions in the current course of study through our developed schemes. Restrictions Inaccuracy in study responses from pupils and parents There is a chance of them non being honest in replying inquiries due to conservative nature and sensitiveness of subject. Adolescents opposition to parental engagement Young persons may be uncomfortable in showing their positions in forums in the presence of parents. Without striplings engagement, the on-line portal will non be effectual in functioning as a platform for active and unfastened treatments for both stakeholders. Possible Improvements An betterment would be spread outing the range to provide to assorted faiths. Since Singapore is a multi-racial society, some faiths may non prophesy values that are in line with what MOE offers on abstention and the instruction of preventives. This would ensue in a struggle of involvements among the pedagogues, parents, spiritual organisations and the adolescents themselves, who might be diffident as to which philosophy to follow. Hence, it would be best to develop a scheme that would extensively provide to the distinguishable faiths in Singapore. This will let parents to be more positive in imparting their support, after cognizing that their faiths philosophies tie in with the proposed scheme. Future Developments We hope to widen the undertaking by including parents from other Secondary Schools. We can utilize the consequences obtained from RI and RGS to estimate the effectivity of our proposed options and do farther betterments. Successful parents, who have benefited from the options proposed, can portion their penetrations and lessons learnt from them, during the PEP conducted in other Secondary Schools. Chapter 6 BIBLIOGRPAHY Web sites: Release of the turning old ages series for upper secondary: Sense and Sexuality. 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Retrieved 22 August 2010, from lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //www.pathfind.org/pf/pubs/focus/IN % 20FOCUS/inv_parents.htm gt ; Larry G. Brady: How to Raise Kids without Climbing the Walls. Retrieved 22 August 2010, from lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //books.google.com.sg/booksid=bThRzH6jj6gC A ; pg=PA94 A ; lpg=PA94 A ; dq=psychological+impacts+of+premarital+sex A ; source=bl A ; ots=mEZkGOHwn8 A ; sig=7DcootQgLDKMV1P_n3lY-pfn0hw A ; hl=en A ; ei=bc1XTL7DAYy5rAfo86mOBQ A ; sa=X A ; oi=book_result A ; ct=result A ; resnum=6 A ; ved=0CDEQ6AEwBQ # v=onepage A ; q A ; f=false gt ; Involving Parents In Reproductive Health Decisions. Retrieved from 22 August 2010, from lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //www.californiateenhealth.org/download/Involving_parents.pdf gt ; Joy L Walker: A qualitative survey of parents experiences of supplying sex instruction for their kids: The deductions for wellness instruction. 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Tan, H.Y. and Teo E. , ( 21 August 2010 ) , Sex Education: Too small, excessively late, and excessively obscure? , The Straits Times Serene Goh, ( 21 August 2010 ) , Let s talk with kids about sex, The Straits Times Tan, H.Y. , ( 21 August 2010 ) , Asia dawdling in gender instruction, The Straits Times Leow, S.W. , Ong, C. , ( 21 August 2010 ) , St Patrick s objects to condom picture, The Straits Times Charissa Yong, ( 12 August 2010 ) , No sex please, we re Chinese, The Straits Times Liew H.Q. , ( 29 July 2010 ) , Schools engaging sex instruction experts once more, The Straits Times Liew H.Q. , ( 30 April 2010 ) , Govt calls for more transparence in gender instruction, The Straits Times Amelia Tan, Theresa Tan and Yeo Sam Jo, ( 25 May 2009 ) , Sex instruction: Experts identify 2 weak links , The Straits Times Irene Tan, ( 9 February 2010 ) , Aware bows out of sex instruction for now, The Straits Times Videos: Sexual activity instruction for kids lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //www.youtube.com/watch? v=aMf0WbB-F4I gt ; Health Promotion Board Choices Teen Sexuality Education lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //www.youtube.com/watch? v=B6acvEJRzxo gt ;

Lease assingment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Lease assingment - Essay Example The first item that appears uncomfortable is leasing the bedroom apartment because I am not allowed to use any other part of the premise. Flexibility should be enhanced to all tenants by the proprietor in terms of using other sections of the premises (Jacobus 282). Another problem in the lease is that the contract runs for a year. As a tenant, I have no flexibility in terms of terminating the contract before the stipulated period. Moreover, the property manager, who is Joe Daworker, is responsible for handling issues concerning use of premises. A problem may arise making me want to talk directly to the owner of the premises. As a tenant, I feel that 1,455 US dollars is a lot of money to be paid to the proprietor within a single day because security deposit is to be paid during the signing of lease contract. The security deposit should be paid in installments because there is no guarantee that I will damage any part of the premises as a tenant. Another problem arises from possession o f the premises as outlined in lease contract. Since I will be entitled to possess the premises on the first day of signing the contract, I feel that the proprietor should also be responsible in ensuring the well-being of all tenants. This should involve carrying out maintenance and repairs of the one bedroom apartment during my stay in the premises. ... According to premise usage, the proprietor restricts any form of retail, professional and commercial activities within the apartment. In the event of carrying out any commercial activities, consent must be obtained from the proprietor by following. This item contrasts with possession rights because I should be allowed to carry out any legal activities within the apartment as a tenant. The proprietor requires tenants to get liability insurance before engaging in any professional or commercial activities. In the event of failing to abide by that item on the leasing agreement, the tenant is evicted from the premise with immediate effect because he or she is said to have breached the leasing contract. I find this item tedious and costly since the process of obtaining insurance liability is quite demanding and expensive (Jacobus 283). In terms of evicting the premise, I feel that every tenant should be given adequate time to find another apartment before being forced to vacate the premise s. The contract restricts any extra person apart from the tenant to stay in the apartment. I find this clause unrealistic because relatives and friends who may want to spend a couple of nights in the apartment. This item on the contract needs to be adjusted where tenants should be allowed to stay with their friends and relatives within the apartment. In spite of the contract allowing tenants to have guests for a limited time of fourteen consecutive days, the impression created to tenants is that their freedom is restricted. Privacy of tenants is compromised when the agreement restricts the sharing of bedrooms within the apartment. As mentioned earlier,

The Munich Agreement Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 8500 words

The Munich Agreement - Dissertation Example Chamberlain’s role was central to the appeasement process as a committed person in response to the public opinion. But this was not without criticism. Left wing-writers under a pseudonym Cato published guilty men in 1940, which accused Chamberlain of taking undue advantage of public opinion and giving unrealistic hopes of peace with Germany.   They sought to point out that Chamberlain underestimated the British capacity and overestimated the German’s capacity of war. They have painted Chamberlain as a great deceiver . Because of the outbreak of the Second World War in spite of the cession of the Sudetenland, Chamberlain stood exposed to criticism for having slowed down the rearmament program after the First World War. Historical research on this episode has these writers as the first phase. In what can be called the second phase of historical research, Taylor in his 1961 publication †The Origin of Second World War†, remarked that the role of appeasement in the outbreak of Second World War was;   â€Å"The cause of war was therefore as much the blunders of others as the wickedness of dictators themselves.†Ã‚   In 1963, The Appeasers, Martin Gilbert and Richard Gott maintained that Chamberlain deceived the public by showing the bogey of another war which the British could not afford. However, since the 1960s, revisionist historians argued for the compelling reasons for appeasement as that was the only viable policy for the British in the 1930s. The Nation had a weak economy drained of resources after the needs in the war just ended. Historians such as Patrick Finney agreed that appeasement was the inevitable result of British decline. They also argued that public opinion prior to 1937 could not be easily dismissed. Maurice Calling in his 1975 publication, The Impact of Hitler: British Politics and British Policy 1933-40, maintained that the appeasement policy was compelled by domestic considerations. Chamberlain, motivated by the state of the country’s economy and political stand of his Conservative party, took the appeasement decision that was expected to become popular with the British public. Chamberlain changed his stand in response to the public opinion after Germany occupied Prague in 1939. R.A.C Parker, in his Chamberlain and Appeasement (1993), argued that Chamberlain deliberately used the reasons of weak economy and weak military, to shape the public opinion, as he was deeply committed to appeasement for the sake appeasement and not due to weakness.5 From looking at the historiography relating to the Munich agreement it is clear to see that there is an ongoing debate relating to the issue. Throughout this piece I intend to

The Experience of Ethnic Minority Workers Essay Example for Free

The Experience of Ethnic Minority Workers Essay EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This report describes the findings of a qualitative research project, The Experience of Ethnic Minority and Migrant Workers in the Hotel and Catering Industry: Routes to Support and Advice on Workplace Problems, funded by the European Social Fund and Acas and carried out by the Working Lives Research Institute at London Metropolitan University. The research provides evidence of the conditions faced by ethnic minority and migrant workers in the hotel and restaurant sector, an industry already known for its harsh working environment. In-depth interviews with 50 ethnic minority and migrant workers in London, the West Midlands and the South West were carried out between May 2005 and May 2006. In addition, interviews were held with key informants to provide contextual information on features and trends within the sector. The key findings of the research are summarised here. Working conditions in hotels and restaurants †¢ Cash-in-hand, undeclared or under-declared, and illegal working was found among the ethnic minority and migrant restaurant workers interviewed, and affected both employment conditions and rates of pay. This was prevalent in small, ethnic minority-owned restaurants, usually employing members of the same ethnic group. The National Minimum Wage (NMW) was the rate commonly paid to basic grade staff, including bar and restaurant staff, hotel porters and housekeeping staff, particularly outside of London. The research also found a high incidence of flat rate payments per shift or per week, regardless of hours worked, below the NMW, often paid cash-in-hand. Long hours working was a further feature. Full-time workers did a minimum 40-hour week, with 50 to 60 hours a week being common, particularly in restaurants. Late night working, or until the last customer left, was often expected without extra pay. Some felt that they had no life outside work due to the long hours demanded by the job. In some instances, individuals had several jobs to earn money to support family or send back home. There was low awareness of holiday and leave entitlements. Very few workers received more than the statutory entitlement to four weeks’ holiday. Some reported getting no paid holidays or receiving less than the legal minimum, and there was generally low awareness of holiday entitlement. In small restaurants there was sometimes an informal policy of two weeks’ leave. It was common for workers to have received no written statements of particulars or contracts. This was found among both informally and legitimately employed workers, and was a source of anxiety for several. †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ 1 †¢ There were poor perceptions of job security in the sector. Few workers felt secure in their employment, often feeling they could be sacked on the spot, particularly those working informally. Some longer-term workers in regular employment were aware that increasing use of casual and agency staff meant that their jobs were not secure. Training available to migrant workers, particularly in restaurants, was minimal, usually only in basic health and safety, hygiene or fire procedures. In some hotels, however, managers had recognised the neglect of training in the past and were offering staff the chance to pursue National Vocational Qualifications. †¢ Problems at work †¢ There was a high degree of acceptance of the poor working conditions in the sector among interviewees, with issues such as low pay, long hours, unpaid overtime and poor health and safety standards often not perceived as particular â€Å"problems† but rather viewed as the nature of work in the sector. Where problems were identified these related to: pay; long working hours; workload; getting time off; bullying and verbal abuse, including racial harassment; problems getting on with colleagues; English language skills; and theft of property from work. Bullying and verbal abuse was common, particularly in kitchens where chefs were often known as bullies, but this was accepted by some as â€Å"just the mentality of the kitchen†. Sometimes the abuse had a racial element, with â€Å"bloody foreigner† used as a term of abuse. Racist abuse from restaurant customers was also regularly suffered by some waiters. In one hotel, several staff had experienced bullying from a manager, resulting in time off sick with stress. Staff believed there was an ulterior motive of trying to get rid of long-serving employees and replacing them with cheaper casual staff. Opportunities for promotion were felt by several interviewees to be inhibited by discrimination on grounds of race, ethnicity, nationality or age, as well as the limitations imposed by work permit or visa rules. Some long-term workers felt they had been overlooked for promotion, with their age then compounding the problem as employers looked for younger staff to promote and develop. Where employees saw that they had opportunities to progress, this was due to the support of a manager. Opportunities were further limited by employer presumptions about the suitability of staff for â€Å"front-of-house† jobs, such as reception or waiter positions, based on ethnicity, gender and age. Some employers expressed preferences for white staff, or a â€Å"balance† of white and non-white front-of ­ house staff, on the grounds that it was what their customers wanted. The research found that such racial stereotyping was expressed openly in this sector in a way that may not be acceptable in other sectors. †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ 2 †¢ In the main, interviewees did not raise health and safety concerns when discussing problems at work, reflecting an acceptance of the hazards of this type of work. However many issues did arise during the course of interviews, which included: burns and working in hot kitchens; working in a confined space; back and shoulder pains; and tiredness from long working hours and heavy workload. Often, responsibility for health and safety, such as avoiding burns, was seen as primarily belonging to the employee and not the employer. Most workers believed that little could be done to tackle the problems that they were having at work, or felt that the only solution was to leave the job. A handful of workers had taken action to resolve their problems at work, either by raising concerns with their manager, or seeking outside support or advice. †¢ Support, advice and awareness of rights †¢ Workers felt poorly informed about employment rights in the UK, and had little idea of where to get information if they needed it. Many also were unsure about aspects of their own particular terms and conditions of employment, which was related to a lack of written information. As might be expected, those who had been in the UK for a longer time, and the small number who were members of a trade union, felt better informed about their rights at work. Trade unions had been a valuable source of support for a small number of interviewees, but for most workers, unions simply did not feature in their experience of work. But despite the difficulties of organising in the sector, including high staff turnover, no culture of trade unionism and employers that are hostile to trade unions, union membership was growing in one London hotel and catering branch. This was the result of recruitment campaigns that included information in several languages. Some interviewees either had, or would, seek support from community organisations about problems at work. However, there was a variation in the level of community support available in the three regions, with London and the West Midlands having established organisations representing a variety of ethnic groups, but such structures were much less well developed in the South West. Seeking support and advice through community organisations can also be a double-edged sword for those who work for employers within the same ethnic community, with some fearing that if they sought advice, word would get around and they would have problems getting work in future. Of the small number of workers who had sought support for problems at work, Citizen’s Advice, Acas and a specific project for service workers (no longer in existence) had been used. While a small number were aware of Citizen’s Advice, a couple thought that the service excluded them because of its name, which implied to them that it was for British citizens only. †¢ †¢ †¢ 3 Conclusions and recommendations †¢ While many of the working conditions and problems highlighted in this report are common to workers in the sector, the research found several features that serve to differentiate the experience of ethnic minority and migrant workers: immigration status; working in the informal sector; discrimination in the labour market and employment; and low expectations which increase tolerance of poor working conditions. For ethnic minority and migrant workers the difficulties in raising and resolving problems relate both to their own individual vulnerability and characteristics of work in the sector. Recent migrant workers may have limited English language skills and little or no knowledge of UK employment rights and support structures, factors that compound the difficulties of addressing problems in the sector. These include: the perception that there is a ready supply of labour to replace workers who complain; a lack of union organisation; a culture of poor personnel practice, such as minimal training and provision of information; and the informal nature of much employment obtained by ethnic minority and migrant workers in the sector. There appeared also to be a lack of monitoring or enforcement of employers’ compliance with employment legislation in this sector. To understand the different experiences and motivations for ethnic minority and migrant workers working in hotels and restaurants, the research developed a typology of strategies that highlights at one end how some individuals feel they are acting strategically in relation to their work choices, whereas at the other, economic factors and limitations play a greater role in determining their choices. The strategies move from Career progression through Broadening opportunities and Stepping stone to Pragmatic acceptance and No alternative. The research makes a number of recommendations about how the position of this vulnerable group of workers can be improved through better access to employment rights and information, improvements in working conditions and career opportunities, and improved provision of support and advice. †¢ †¢ †¢ 4 1. INTRODUCTION This project, The Experience of Ethnic Minority Workers in the Hotel and Catering Industry: Routes to Support and Advice on Workplace Problems, was funded by the European Social Fund and Acas and carried out by the Working Lives Research Institute, London Metropolitan University between May 2004 and July 2006. The project used qualitative research methods to explore the experiences and problems at work of ethnic minority and migrant workers in hotels and restaurants, with the aim of both identifying the range of experiences and problems encountered, and gaining a greater understanding of access to and use of support and advice to resolve these problems. The research therefore provides evidence of the conditions faced by ethnic minority and migrant workers, which is an area relatively neglected by research so far. Its objective is to inform policy in order to improve good practice in relation to the employment of ethnic minority and migrant workers, to prevent problems from arising, and to improve the support and advice mechanisms available. The key target groups for these research findings and policy objectives are thus employers, statutory bodies, the voluntary sector, trade unions and community groups. 1. 1 Background to the project At the start of the project a working paper (Wright and Pollert, 2005) was prepared to establish the extent of ethnic minority and migrant working in the hotel and restaurant sector, as well as pinpointing the main issues for workers in the sector identified by the existing literature. The working paper is available on the project website1. The paper showed that ethnic minority and migrant workers make up a significant part of the hotel and restaurant workforce – almost threefifths (59%) of workers in the sector in London described themselves as other than White British in the 2001 census (Wright and Pollert, 2005: 27). Outside of London the picture reflects the differences in the concentration of the ethnic minority population across the UK. In the West Midlands, where 84% of the hotel and restaurant workforce were White British in 2001, the largest other groups were White other (2. 9%), Bangladeshi (2. 3%) and Indian (2. 2%). The sector is a particularly important source of employment for some groups, with 52% of male Bangladeshi workers employed in restaurants, compared to only 1% of white males (Holgate, 2004: 21). In London, migrant workers (those born outside the UK) account for 60% of those employed in the hotel and restaurant sector (GLA, 2005: 68), compared to 31% of all London workers who were born outside the UK. However there have been important changes in the composition of the hotel and restaurant workforce since the 2001 census, with employers filling vacancies in the sector by employing significant numbers of workers from the East European countries that acceded to the EU in 2004 (known as the A8 countries). The government requires nationals of the A8 countries who wish to work in the UK to register with the Worker Registration Scheme (WRS), and Home Office figures show that of the 375,000 workers registered between May 2004 and March 2006, 22% were working in hospitality and catering (80,570 workers) (Home Office, 1 http://www. workinglives. org/HotelCatering. html 5 2006a). There has, however, been a decline in the proportion of WRS applicants in Hospitality and Catering from 31% in the second quarter of 2004, to 18% in the first quarter of 2006, with Administration, Business and Management now employing greater numbers. The highest proportion of all applicants under the scheme were Polish (61%), followed by Lithuanian (12%) and Slovak (10%). The figures also show a movement of registered workers to other parts of the UK than London, with the percentage applying to London falling from 25% in the second quarter of 2004, to 11% in the first quarter of 2006 (Home Office, 2006a). While working conditions in the industry have been well documented as consisting of low pay, low status, exploitation of employees and lack of unionisation (e. g. Gabriel, 1988; Price, 1994; Head and Lucas, 2004; LPC 2005), little has been written in the UK about the actual experiences of ethnic minority and migrant workers, with much of the existing literature focusing on management behaviour and strategy (Wright and Pollert, 2005). Some recent exceptions include a study of low pay in London (Evans et al, 2005), which included the hotel and catering industry. This study of 341 randomly selected low paid workers contained 90% who were migrants. Of their sample of hotel and hospitality workers, the largest group (two-fifths) were non-British whites, mainly from Eastern Europe, followed by Africans (24%). It found the lowest rates of pay to be in the hotel and catering sector, below contract cleaning, home care and the food industry. Other recent research has considered the experience of Central and East European migrants in low paid employment in the UK in the context of the A8 countries joining the EU, and covers hospitality, along with construction, agriculture and au pairs (Anderson et al, 2006). It is some 15 years since the Commission for Racial Equality (CRE) undertook a formal investigation into recruitment and selection in hotels (CRE, 1991) in response to concern that the sector was failing to consider equal opportunities in employment practices. It found that ethnic minority staff were disproportionately concentrated in unskilled jobs, and found only one ethnic minority manager out of 117 hotels investigated. It made a number of recommendations about how hotels should improve their practices in relation to recruitment, monitoring, positive action and training taking account of equal opportunities issues. However, we have been unable to find evidence of any monitoring or evaluation of whether these recommendations have been heeded or implemented by hotel employers. While knowledge of employment rights among all workers in the UK is poor, it has been shown that vulnerable groups know even less (Pollert, 2005). A random survey of people’s awareness of employment rights in the West Midlands found that women, ethnic minorities, young people and the low paid were least likely to be aware of their rights (WMLPU, 2001). The research was undertaken in the context of considerable public debate on migration policy, and at a time when the government was intending to phase out low skilled migration schemes, such as the Sectors Based Scheme, which granted work permits to certain numbers of workers in skills shortage sectors such as hospitality, in the light of new labour available from the European Union (Home Office,2005). At the same time there is increasing concern for â€Å"vulnerable† workers, and the government has recently published a policy statement on protecting vulnerable workers, defined as â€Å"someone working in an environment where the risk of being denied employment rights is high and who does not have the capacity or means to protect themselves from that abuse† (DTI, 2006: 25). 6 1. 2 Research aims The research set out to address the following key questions: 1. What are the working conditions of ethnic minority and migrant workers in hotels and restaurants? 2. How are working conditions seen and what are perceived as ‘problems’, and how does this impact on acceptance of poor working conditions? 3. What type of problems do ethnic minority and migrant workers have working in hotels and restaurants? 4. How do these compare to the problems generally affecting workers in the sector and to what extent are they associated with particular labourmarket niches within the sector to which these workers are confined? If this is so, to what extent is the insecurity of migrant status relevant, or is racial discrimination relevant? 5. How much do ethnic minority and migrant workers in this sector know about their rights at work, and to what extent do ethnic minority and migrant workers in this sector attempt to enforce their legal rights at work, or instead try to find ways to achieve a sufficient income and manageable working conditions, even if this means colluding with illegal employment practices? 6. How much do ethnic minority and migrant workers in this sector know about where to get advice and support for problems at work? And who do they turn to for advice and support? To what extent do ethnic minority and migrant workers in this sector use statutory (i.e. Acas, CRE), voluntary (CABx, local advice agencies), trade union, community (groups or informal contacts through ethnic networks) or informal (friends, family) sources of support and advice? 7. What are the experiences of ethnic minority and migrant workers in this sector of using all these sources of support and advice and what barriers do they face in accessing support and advice for workplace problems? 1. 3 Structure of the report The report describes the research methodology and access routes, together with the characteristics of the interviewees in section 2. The working conditions experienced by interviewees are described in section 3, confirming evidence from much of the existing literature on the sector, but also highlighting where the experience of ethnic minority and migrant workers may be particular. Section 4 describes the problems encountered by interviewees in their jobs in hotels and restaurants, but also considers the attitude of these workers to defining â€Å"problems† at work, as well as their approaches to resolving problems and barriers to resolution. The information, support and advice available to and used by the ethnic minority and migrant workers interviewed is explored in section 5, together with their awareness of employment rights in the UK. 7 In section 6 conclusions are drawn about the specific experiences of ethnic minority and migrant workers in the sector, the problems that they face and their need for support and advice, suggesting that changes need to be made to practice within the sector, as well as in improved provision of support to ethnic minority and migrant workers. 8 2. METHODOLOGY The project employed qualitative research methods to gather in-depth accounts of the experiences of 50 ethnic minority and migrant workers. Interviews were carried out between May 2005 and May 2006. In addition, interviews and face-to ­ face and telephone conversations were held with key informants to provide contextual information on features and trends within the sector affecting ethnic minority and migrant workers. The strengths of using qualitative methods are that they can not only identify tangible issues (the problems themselves, for example), but also more elusive, subjective issues, such as motivation, perceptions of opportunities and of rights, sense of inclusion, integration and fairness – or their opposites – sense of frustration, alienation and barriers to obtaining support and fairness at work. 2. 1 Regional scope The research project was confined to England within the terms of reference set by the European Social Fund. Three English regions were selected in order to provide a comparison of experiences of migrant and ethnic minority workers: London, the West Midlands and the South West. London and the West Midlands have considerably larger non-white and migrant populations than other parts of the country, with significant numbers of Bangladeshis and Pakistanis working in the hotel and restaurant sector in the West Midlands (Wright and Pollert, 2005: 27 ­ 28). In contrast, the South West is the English region with the smallest non-white population, but is experiencing a growth in migrant workers. The problems facing ethnic minority and migrant populations here have been less well documented, but where studies have been done, isolation from ethnic minority communities and support structures emerges as an issue (BMG Research, 2003; Gaine and Lamley, 2003; SWTUC, 2004). Tourism also accounts for 10% of total employment in the South West, with the greatest proportion of these (70%) employed in the hospitality sector – accommodation, restaurants, pubs etc. (Tourism Skills Network South West, 2002). In the South West it was decided to focus the research on two towns with a large tourist population and therefore a high demand for a hotel and restaurant workforce: Bournemouth and Plymouth. The Human Resources manager of a Bournemouth hotel group, interviewed for this research, said that only 32% of their workforce was British, indicating a high reliance on foreign-born workers. 2. 2 Definitions of ethnic minority and migrant workers The research includes both â€Å"ethnic minority† and â€Å"migrant† workers, categories which, in real life, are complex, changing and overlapping. Some ethnic minorities (using the Labour Force Survey definitions) will also be migrants. Migrants (defined here as all those who were born outside the UK, Home Office, 2002) may or may not be defined as ethnic minorities, and may or may not be discriminated against. White Australian or Canadian migrant workers, for example, would not be. But Kosovan people may be regarded as ethnic minorities, and suffer racism and discrimination, and Czech or Polish people may or may not be discriminated against, and while they may not be â€Å"visible† in terms of skin colour, in the way black and Asian people are, they are â€Å"visible† in terms of language, cultural characteristics, and discrimination. As many â€Å"white† Eastern Europeans are now 9 working in the hotel and restaurant sector, particularly since the EU enlargement in May 2004, it was felt to be important to include their experiences in the study. 2. 3 Access to research participants In order to include the experience of a broad range of interviewees from different ethnic groups and backgrounds, including both recent and more settled ethnic minorities, it was decided to use multiple routes to access interviewees. Therefore a range of bodies were contacted, many with a twofold purpose of: a) providing contextual information about the sector and/or the experiences of particular ethnic groups; and b) helping gain access to research participants. Organisations contacted included trade unions, community and worker organisations, sector bodies, employers and statutory and advice agencies (see Appendix 2). In the South West, where there are fewer organised community groups than in the two other regions, we spoke to officers at Bournemouth Borough Council, who gave us informal contacts within the main local ethnic minority communities, as well as putting us in contact with several community interpreters who spoke the main languages of the local ethnic minority groups: Portuguese, Korean, Turkish, Bengali and Spanish. These routes proved very useful in helping to access research participants and in providing interpretation for interviews. However, in the end, Turkish and Bangladeshi workers were reluctant to come forward to be interviewed, which the interpreters said was because they were fearful of speaking out about their employers, despite reassurances of confidentiality. In all three areas we used fieldworkers who were able to use their language skills to carry out interviews in workers’ native languages, namely Bengali, Spanish, Polish, Lithuanian and Mandarin. The fieldworkers were also able to provide access to workers who may not have come forward otherwise, being people who were known and trusted among their own ethnic communities, or who were able to provide sufficient reassurance of confidentiality. Training was provided in using the interview guide to all fieldworkers to ensure a common approach was used in interviews and that fieldworkers understood the aims and objectives of the research. While the approach used provided access to workers in a wide range of establishments,from large hotel groups to small independent restaurants, including several working ‘illegally’ or ‘informally’, we acknowledge that using such routes could not access the most hard-to-reach illegal migrant and ethnic minority workers, who may constitute a considerable proportion of workers in the sector. The research may not fully represent the worst conditions found in the ‘underbelly’ of the sector as suffered by many ‘illegal’ or ‘undocumented’ migrants, as portrayed, for example, in Steven Frear’s 2002 film about a London hotel, Dirty Pretty Things. It was decided not only to seek out interviewees who perceived themselves as having had a â€Å"problem† at work, but a range of people in different jobs in the sector, in order to explore their typical work experiences and their attitudes towards â€Å"problems† and conditions in the sector. 10 2. 4 Key informants In addition to the worker interviews, at least 20 key informants (see Appendix 2) provided further context on the hotel and restaurant sector, including regional knowledge. These included employers and employer representative bodies, trade union officials and branch members, community organisations, representatives of sector bodies and statutory and voluntary organisations. In some cases in-depth interviews were carried out, and in others more informal conversations were held either face-to-face or on the telephone. 2. 5 Worker interviews A total of 50 in-depth qualitative interviews were carried out in the three regions, with a greater number in London due to the huge range of ethnic minority and migrant workers in the sector in the capital. The breakdown was as follows: Table 1: Worker interviews by region Region London South West West Midlands Total % 46% 24% 30% 100% No. of worker interviews 23 12 15 50 during the interviews, which and a half. Participants were of both themselves and their participation with a ? 10 shop A semi-structured interview schedule was used generally lasted between 45 minutes to an hour assured of confidentiality, and of the anonymity employer. They were thanked for their time and voucher. At the start of the interview, participants were asked to complete a two-page questionnaire giving basic demographic and employment details, data from which is provided in the following section. 2. 5. 1 Ethnicity Respondents were asked to describe their ethnicity, according to the classification used in the 2001 Census. The results are grouped together in table 2. Table 2: Ethnicity of the sample Ethnicity White Bangladeshi and Pakistani Chinese and Other Asian Black Mixed % 36% 26% 20% 16% 2% No. of interviewees 18 13 10 8 1 11 2. 5. 2 Country of birth Table 3 shows the range of countries from which interviewees came. It was notable that only one participant was born in the UK, despite attempts to find British-born ethnic minority workers in the sector. Both fieldworkers and interviewees themselves commented that many British-born people do not wish to work in a sector that is known for low pay and long hours, including the children of migrants interviewed, as they seek better alternative employment opportunities (some young British-born workers do work in the sector while they are students, but tend to do so for only a short time). Table 3: Country of birth Country of birth Bangladesh China Colombia France Ghana Holland Indonesia Ivory coast Korea Lithuania Philippines Poland Portugal Slovakia Somalia Spain Sudan Turkey UK Ukraine 2. 5. 3 Gender Women are under-represented in the sample (38% of interviewees) compared to their presence in the sector as a whole, but this reflects the fact that the sample includes a substantial number of Bangladeshi workers, who represent a significant group in the sector in the West Midlands, and most of these workers are male (Wright and Pollert, 2005: 27-28). 2. 5. 4 Age Only one interviewee was under 21 years old. Almost two-fifths (38%) were aged 21 to 30 years old, and the same proportion were between 31 and 40 years old. Six interviewees (12%) were aged 41 to 50, and five (10%) were between 51 to 60. None of the interviewees were aged over 60. 2. 5. 5 Education Overall the sample was fairly highly educated, with 36% having a first stage or higher degree. Another 10% had post-secondary non-tertiary level education, and 36% had received education up to secondary level, while 12% had received. % 24% 10% 6% 2% 4% 2% 2% 2% 6% 8% 2% 4% 4% 6% 6% 2% 2% 4% 2% 2% No. of interviewees 12 5 3 1 2 1 1 1 3 4 1 2 2 3 3 1 1 2 1 1 12 primary level education or less. A further 6% had other qualifications or the details of their education were not known. 2. 5. 6 Employment The majority (62%) of the interviewees worked in restaurants, while 30% worked in hotels. The remaining 8% either worked in both hotels and restaurants, as agency workers, or in catering services. More than half of respondents (54%) said there were 10 or fewer employees where they worked. A further 22% said there were between 11 and 25 people where they worked. Only 6% worked for employers with between 26 to 49 people and 10% said there were 50 or more employees where they worked. However these figures should be treated with caution, and may underestimate the number working for larger employers, as respondents may have interpreted the questions as referring to the workplace or department of the hotel where they worked, rather than the employer as a whole. Almost half the interviewees (48%) worked as waiters or waitresses, either in hotels or restaurants. Another 20% were chefs or cooks, and a further 4% worked in kitchens as general assistants. 12% said they were supervisors or managers and 4% described themselves as cashiers. Another 10% worked in other jobs in hotels as receptionist, general assistant or porter/bar worker. The majority of workers were full-time (70%), while 14% said they worked parttime, and 14% were casual workers. Working hours were long. The largest proportion (40%) worked over 40 hours per week – 10% worked between 41 and 48 hours, while almost a third (30%) said they worked over 48 hours a week. Just over a third (36%) worked between 21 and 40 hours a week. Only 6% did less than 20 hours a week. The majority (82%) had only one job at the time of the interview, with 18% having two or more jobs. However, some of those currently working in only one jo.